"The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they
were fair; and they took them wives of all which they
chose....And they bare children to them; the
same became mighty men, which were of old, men of renown."Gen. 6:2,4.

THE Scriptures not only point us to the future
age and call the spiritual government
of Christ which shall then exist a "new heavens,"
and earthly society and institutions under
it a "new earth," but the present spiritual rulership
(under Satan, "the prince of this world"),
with the earthly institutions under it, is termed
"the present evil world," dispensation or epoch.*
Moreover, we are informed that the present
dominion of evil has not always existed, but
that it was preceded by a still different dispensation
or epoch, spoken of as "the world that
was before the flood," which also had a heavens,
or spiritual ruling power, and an earth, or condition
of men subject to that spiritual dominion.

*See MILLENNIAL DAWN, VOL. I., Chapter iv.

The three worlds mentioned by Peter (2 Pet. 3:6,7,13)
designate these three great epochs
of time.
In each, God's plan with reference
to men has a distinct and separate outline,
yet each is but a part of the one great
plan which, when complete, will exhibit the
divine wisdom, justice, love and power, to the
wonder and admiration of all his creatures.

Since that first "world" (heavens and earth,
or that order of things) passed away at the time
of the flood, it follows that it must have been
a different order from the present, and hence
that the prince of this present evil world was
not the prince of that order which preceded thisthe dispensation before the floodhowever
widely his influence was then exerted and felt.

Several Scriptures throw light on God's dealings
during that first dispensation, and give
clearer insight into his plan as a whole.
The
thought suggested by these is, that the first
world (the dispensation before the flood) was
under the supervision and special ministration
of the angels; who were permitted to do what
they could and desired to do to recover and rule
the fallen race, which, because of sin, needed
a government other than its own.

That angels were the rulers of that epoch is
not only indicated by all references to that
period, but may be reasonably inferred from the
Apostle's remark when contrasting the present
dispensation with the past and the future.
He
endeavors to show both the righteousness and
the enduring character of the future rulership
of the world, saying, "The world to come hath
he not put in subjection to the angels."
No,
it is put under the control of our Lord Jesus
and his joint-heirs, and hence it shall not only
be more righteous than the present rule of
Satan, but it shall be more successful than was the previous rule by the angels.Heb. 2:2,5.

It was at this time, it seems, that the fall of
some of the angels occurred.
It is a common
supposition, though we think without foundation,
that the fall of Satan's angels occurred
before man's creation.
We are told that Satan
was a murderer (man-killer) from the beginning.
(John 8:44.)
Certainly not the beginning
of his own existence, for every creation
coming from God's hand is perfect; nor can
we think any other beginning referred to than
man's beginning, in Eden.
But, so far as we
are informed, he was then alone and had no
followers or angels.

The ambition of Satan, one of the mighty
angels, to become a ruler seems to have developed
as he beheld the first human pair with
their procreative powers, and the grand possibilities
of an extended dominion through their
posterity.
He probably reasoned that, if he
could obtain the control of this man, he would
have the dominion over all his offspring, and be
in power and influence above othersa rival of
Jehovah himself; and his growing ambition said,
"I will be like the Most High."Isa. 14:14.

Successful in contaminating the stream at its
source, Satan gained a great influence over the
race; but his power over them was limited because
of the competition of the great company
of angels, who, as guardians, instructed and
ruled mankind for a time in harmony with the
will of God.
But man's corruption was contagious,
and some of these angelic rulers soon fell
victims to the plague: left their own habitation,
or condition as spiritual beings, keeping not
their first or original estate.
They misused the
powers which they possessed, of assuming a human
form, and became of a reprobate and licentious
mind, copying after degenerate man,
and started a new race of men in the world, as
the above text (Gen. 6:2-4) affirms.

This Scripture is applied by some to two
classes of menone class, more righteous than
the other, called "sons of God."
But such a
position is untenable; for it is not a sin for one [R1678 : page 232] man to take for a wife another man's daughter.
Marriage among men is never in the Scriptures
condemned as sinful.
On the contrary, it was
ordained of God, and has always had his sanction.
(Gen. 2:24; Heb. 13:4.)
Our Lord attested
his approval by his presence at the marriage in
Cana. (John 2:1-11.)
Neither is the propagation
of the race, under proper conditions,
condemned as sinful.
God commanded it, that
the earth might be filled with a race of beings
generated from one pair, and in order that the
redemption of the race might be secured by the
obedience and sacrifice of oneChrist. (Gen. 1:28; Rom. 5:19.)
However, those to whom
the Lord has granted a knowledge of his truth
sometimes forego marriage, as they deny themselves
many other earthly rights and privileges
"for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake" (Matt. 19:12),
if they consider that thereby a more
efficient service may be rendered to the Lord.*

*See issue of July '93"Man and Woman in God's
Order."

Again, if it were merely a union of two classes
of the same race, why should the offspring be
specially called "men of renown?" If the
righteous and the wicked marry to-day, are their
children therefore giants or mightier or more
renowned men?

Through the deterioration of several hundred
years, mankind had lost much of its original
vigor and perfection of mind and body; but
with the angels it was different.
Their powers
were still perfect and unimpaired; hence it is
clear that their children would partake of that
vitality and much more resemble the first perfect
man than those around them, among whom
they would be giants both in physical and mental
strength.

Those angels which kept not their first condition,
but sought the level of sinful men, and
left their own habitation, or spiritual condition, God placed in age-lasting chains.
That is,
God restrained or limited their powers, taking
from them the power and privilege of appearing
in an earthly form, human or other.
Hence,
though we know that they did thus appear before
the flood, there is not one instance recorded
in which they have been able to free themselves
from this restraint or chain since.
On
the contrary, the angels who left not their first
estate are not so restrained, and have appeared
frequently as men, as a flame of fire, as a pillar
of cloud, etc., as recorded in both the Old and
New Testament Scriptures.

Having become depraved in their tastes, and
being given over to a reprobate mind, and debarred
from all association with God and his
works and plan, these fallen angels have no
longer any pleasure in things on the spiritual
plane, but crave association with depraved mankind
and a participation with men in sin.
How
wise and kind the Almighty hand which has restrained
their power and influence over men, by
preventing their personal intercourse!
Now,
they may indeed enter and act through any who invite their companionship, as spirit mediums,
but no more can they do.
Thus far shalt thou
go, saith the Almighty, but no further.
This
is the explanation of what is known as Spiritism.

Some of this class, possessed by devils, our
Lord and his disciples met in their ministry.
Out of one he cast a legion of devils. (Mark 5:1-15.)
Anxious in some manner to become associated
with humanity, yet unable to assume
human form because restrained, when they found
a man willing to have such company, a legion
crowded into him, thereby making him a maniac.
Even when they perceived that the Lord
would release the man from their possession,
they in despair requested as a favor that they
might be permitted to inhabit and use the bodies
of a herd of swine near by.
But the swine were
crazed thereby, and madly rushed into the sea.

Jude (6,7) gives conclusive evidence on the
subject, and clearly shows the nature of the sin
for which the fallen angels were condemned and
restrained, when, after mentioning the angels
who sinned, he says, "Even as Sodom and
Gomorrah,...IN LIKE MANNER giving themselves
over to fornication and going after strange
flesh."
That God prohibits any mixture or
blending of natures, and designs that each should
keep its own original or first estate is clearly
taught by this passage and also by Lev. 18:23; 20:15,16.
And that our race as it exists to-day,
coming through Noah, is purely Adamic
stock, and contains no mixture, is shown by the
expression"These are the generations of Noah:
Noah was a just man and perfect in hisgeneration,"i.e., not contaminated in the manner before described.Gen. 6:9.

Glancing back, then, we see the first epoch
under angelic control, the inability of those
angels to lift man out of his fallen condition,
and the debasing influence of man's continued
degradation upon some of the angels.
The
angels were utterly unable to accomplish the
great work of man's recovery.
Doubtless they
were anxious to do it, for they sang and shouted
for joy at his creation.
God let them try it,
and it was doubtless part of their trial and discipline,
but they failed.
Some joined the ranks
of evil, while the rest stood by powerless to arrest
the terrible course of sin.
Later we find the
good angels still interested, desiring to look into
the plan which God has since been working
out, and ever ready to do his bidding in our
service. (1 Pet. 1:12.)
Thus was proven to [R1678 : page 233] both men and angels the futility of angelic
power to save men.

In the beginning of "this present evil world,"
notwithstanding Noah's endeavor to serve God
and to teach his posterity to follow his example,
and the exhibition of God's judgment in the
deluge, the tendency was still downward; and
soon the wickedness of Sodom brought its destruction.
Mankind were bent on an evil course,
and God permitted them to take it.
Then the
ministration of angels, except to the few of
God's children, was withdrawn; and now, instead
of sending heavenly messengers to declare
to us his will, he has given us his Word, "that
the man of God may be thoroughly furnished [thereby] unto all good works."2 Tim. 3:16,17.

Ever since the fall, God's plan has been
gradually and quietly developing, and in due
time will bear abundant fruit unto eternal life;
and he has now demonstrated to all his creatures
that his plan is the only one which could
accomplish the great work.
It selects and tests
first of all the "little flock," the Royal Priesthood,
and then reaches out to lift up and restore
all who will accept life upon God's conditions.

THE SPIRITS IN PRISON.



"Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death
in the flesh but quickened in the spirit.
By which also [in
addition to this work done for us] he preached to the spirits in prison; which sometime [before] were disobedient,
when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah."1 Pet. 3:18-20.
See Diaglott, foot note.

A satisfactory interpretation of this Scripture
has long been sought, and but few have
found a solution perfectly consistent and satisfying
even to themselves.
But in view of the
truth gleaned from the suggestions of the preceding
article, the above statements of the
Apostle Peter become luminous.

The two views of this passage commonly held
we state first, and then give our present view of it.

The most common view is, that during the
time that Jesus was entombed he was off on a
missionary tour preaching to the antediluvian
sinners who were suffering torture in a supposed
place called hell.

If its advocates would consider it, they would
find that their interpretation favors a view of
future probation for the antediluvians, a thing
which they strenuously oppose.
For if Christ
preached to them it must have been for some
purpose.
Surely it was not merely to mock and
deride them.
Consequently he must have
preached a message of hopea part of his
blessed "good tidings of great joy."
And if
there is a future for the antediluvians, why not
accept our position as correctthat in Christ [R1679 : page 233] "all families of the earth shall be blessed?"

This is the objection which consistency would
urge against this view, from the standpoint of
those who hold it.
But if we view it from the
Scriptural standpoint, and with the correct idea
of death and "hell," we must reason that if
Jesus were really dead during those three days,
as the Apostles declare, then he could do no
preaching; for "the dead know not anything"
(Eccl. 9:5), and "there is no work, nor device,
nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave."
(Eccl. 9:10.)
Second, If Jesus had been an
exception to the rule, and could have preached,
the antediluvians could not have heard; for
certainly they have no wisdom, nor knowledge,
in the grave.
Hence this view is found generally
unsatisfactory and as well as unscriptural.*

*For a full treatment of the subject of "hell," future
punishment, etc., see our issue of Feb. 1-15, '93.
Concerning
"immortality" see issue of Apr. 15, '94.

The second view, and the one which seemed
most reasonable to us until the considerations
of the preceding article threw light upon this
scripture also, is to refer the preaching to that
which Noah did under the direction of the
Spirit of God to the antediluvians, who at this
time were imprisoned in death.
The objection
to this view is, that the preaching was not to
men, nor to the spirits of men, but to spirits, spirit beings; and the preaching was not done
by Noah, nor by the Spirit of God, nor before the flood, but after they had been chained,by the death and resurrection of our Lord.

It seems very clear, therefore, that the spirits are those spirit beings who were disobedient
during the days of Noah, and whom God therefore
imprisoned or restrained in some of their
former liberties and privileges, even "those
angels who kept not their own principality, but
left their own habitation [or normal condition].
He has kept them in perpetual chains [restraints],
under thick darkness, for the judgment of the great day."Jude 6, Diaglott.

This interpretation seems to meet all the circumstances
of the case thus far.
Now we inquire,
In what way could our Lord preach to
those spirits during the time he was dead?
We
answer that it is not so stated.
It was by the facts that he preached, as we sometimes say that
"actions speak louder than words."
It was by
his sufferings, death and resurrection that the
preaching was done.
Thus, as Jesus went from
step to step in his work, his course was preaching
a good sermon to those angels who once
had been placed in control of man, and had
themselves fallen, instead of lifting up mankind.
In Jesus they saw exemplified obedience even
unto death, and its rewardresurrection to
spiritual being of the divine nature.
Such was
the great text; and the lesson from it is stated [R1679 : page 234] by the Apostle (1 Pet. 3:22), viz., that Jesus
was now highly exalted and given a name (title)
above every name, that he was "gone into
heaven, and is at the right hand of God [the
position of highest favor]; angels and authorities
and powers being made subject to him." They knew Jesus before he left the glory of the
heavenly condition and became a man.
They
knew the object of his self-sacrifice as a man.
They saw him obedient even unto death, and
then that his high exaltation came as a reward.
(Phil. 2:9.)
They must have felt keenly their
loss through disobedience, being cut off from
communion with God, restrained as unworthy
of former liberty and communion with the purer
minded of mankind, and their own future an
unsolved mystery.
We can but imagine that
sorrow and chagrin filled their hearts, as they
contrasted their course of disobedience and its
results with our Lord's obedient course and its
grand results.
We can fancy at least some of
them saying, Would that we had realized before,
as fully as we now do, the wide contrast
between the results of obedience and disobedience.
Would that we might have another trial:
with our increased knowledge, our course would
be very different.

A clear distinction should be borne in mind,
as between Satan and these angels.
Satan evidently
sinned against great light, so that infinite
wisdom finds no place to do more for him,
and his ultimate destruction is clearly predicted.Heb. 2:14.

But did not the Lord, in Matt. 25:41, declare
eternal torment to be the punishment awaiting
these fallen spirit beings?
No: this scripture
cannot be used as an argument against a hope
for a probation for the imprisoned spirits; for
though, by force of circumstances and restraint
from any other service, they are now Satan's
angelsmessengers or servantsyet they may
not always continue such, if an opportunity
be granted them to return to God's service
and be angels of God.
This passage relates to
the "lake of fire" or destruction (Rev. 20:10),*
into which, at the close of the Millennial
age, all are to be cast, who are out of harmony
with God.
Satan will be of those cast into
that everlasting destruction, and with him all
who do unrighteousness or have pleasure thereinall of whom, spirits or men, are reckoned
to be on his side, his angels or messengers.
All evil-doers shall be cut off from life.
To
cut off such, and such only, was God's plan from
the beginning.
The wilfully wicked and not
the merely ignorant, misled, blinded or deceived
are meant when it is said, "All the wicked will
God destroy."

*See our issue of Feb. '93.

THE PROBATION OF ANGELS.



Will those "spirits in prison," "those angels
which kept not their first estate," and who received
such a powerful lesson from the ministry,
death and resurrection of our Lord, ever have
an opportunity to profit by those lessons? will
they ever have an opportunity to repent of their
sin, to leave Satan's service and to return to
loyalty to God?

If at first we thought the Scriptures were
silent on the subject, we have found that to be
a mistake; and when God speaks we may
reasonably conclude there is something profitable
for us to hear.
Hence, let us give ear that
we may learn whatever our Father deems expedient
to communicate.

Jude (verse 6) informs us that those angels
which committed fornication and went after
strange flesh, "also," "in like manner" to the
Sodomites (verse 7), God is keeping under restraint
(as a penalty or punishment) "unto the
judgment of the great day."
The "great day"
is the Millennial Day, and mankind is also
waiting for this judgment (krisistrial).
The
Apostle Peter's testimony is in harmony (2 Pet. 2:4);
and St. Paul settles the matter that these
fallen and now imprisoned spirit beings, as well
as mankind, will have a trial under the reign
of Christthe Church, the Kingdom of God
in exalted power.
Speaking of the impropriety
of the saints appealing to earthly courts of justice
for adjustment of their difficulties, he says,
"Do you not know that the saints shall judge
the world?...Know ye not that we shall
judge angels?" (1 Cor. 6:1-4.)
The Greek
word here rendered "judge," is krino, of the
same root as krisis, rendered "judgment" in Jude 7, and signifies, to govern, to test, as to
mete out to each individual blessings or stripes,
according to the merit of his course when
brought fully into the light of truth, and under
all the blessings of the reign of Christ.
Thus
it is seen that it will be part of the work of the
Christ to rule over and direct both human and
angelic sinners"to judge the world" of fallen
men, now restrained in death, from which
they have been redeemed, and also fallen spirits,
restrained alive until this judgment or trial
of the Great Millennial Day, when the Church under
the headship of her Lord shall try their cause
also, giving everlasting life and favor to those who
shall then prove themselves worthy of it, and
everlasting destruction to those unworthy.

Besides, we find frequent references to a work
Christ is to do in subjecting heavenly or spiritual,
as well as human powers, when the Church
has been selected and the work of judging
and blessing is commenced.
For instance, we [R1679 : page 235] read (Eph. 1:10), "In the dispensation of the
fulness of times, to re-establish [under God's
dominion and law] all things in Christ [the
disordered things] that are in heaven [spiritual] and on earth [human] in him."Douay translation. Again, "In him it hath well pleased
the Father that all fulness should dwell, and
through him to reconcile all things unto himself,
making peace by the blood of his cross,
both as to the things on earth, and the things in heaven"earthly and spiritual transgressors.Col. 1:20.Douay.

In Eph. 3:8-10, it is shown that the length
and breadth of God's redemptive plan has been
hidden by God until the Gospel age, when the
apostles were commissioned to declare to men
the conditions upon which they might become
sharers with Christ in the execution of God's
loving plans; and the intent is, ultimately, to
have all the heavenly or spiritual beings know,
through the instrumentality of the Church, the boundless wealth that is in God's great giftHis Sonand the different methods and steps his
wisdom marked out for all his creatures.
We quote
the passage from the Diaglott translation:

"To me, the very lowest of the saints, was
this favor givento announce among nations
the glad tidingsthe boundless wealth of the
Anointed One: even to enlighten all as to
what is the [method of] administration [or
operation] of that secret [plan] which has
been concealed from the ages by that God who
created all things; in order that now [henceforth]
may be made known to governments
and the authorities in the heavenlies, through
[the instrumentality of] the congregation [the
Church] the much diversified wisdom of God,
according to a plan of the ages," "which he
purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

It would appear, then, that God's bountiful
plan and diversified wisdom contains something
of interest to the angels, and, if of interest to
any, of special interest to those confined or
restrained, and awaiting a trial in the judgment
of the great day.
They see the saints and seek
to look into things revealed by the Spirit and
Word to these; but in no other way can they
learn of their future, or of what provision has
been made for them in the boundless wealth
and diversified wisdom of God, because it is to
be "made known" "through the Church."

These condemned angels have been learning
much since the first text and sermon;not only
the lesson of our Lord's obedience and exaltation
(1 Pet. 3:18-20; 1 Tim. 3:16), but also of
his followers; for we read that "we are made a
spectacle both to angels and to men." (1 Cor. 4:9Diaglott.) The spectacle and lesson are
to both men and angels for the reason that both
men and angels will shortly be judged by the
Church, and blessed by it, if found obedient
and worthy of life.
When the testimony in
due time is given, all things, both in heaven
(the spiritual condition) and on earth (the human),
shall bow to Jehovah's Anointed and
confess him their Lord and Ruler; and those
who refuse obedience to his righteous authority shall be cut off, as unworthy of life.Isa. 45:23; Rom. 14:11; Acts 3:23.

Neither can we forget their respectful conduct
toward our Lord and his apostles, and the
message they delivered; far more respectful indeed
than that of the strictest sect of the Jewish
Church.
While the latter scoffed and said, "Is
not this Jesus, the son of Joseph?" (John 6:42),
the former exclaimed, "Thou art the Son
of God." (Mark 3:11.)
While the former said,
"Thou hast a devil and art mad," the latter
said, "I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God."Mark 1:24.

The "legion," which had crazed the Gadarene,
worshiped him, acknowledging him to be "Son of the Most High God."Mark 5:6,7.

While they respected the true, they opposed
the false, saying to some who pretended to exercise
power"Jesus I know, and Paul I know,
but who are ye?
And the man in whom the
evil spirit was, leaped on them and overcame them."Acts 19:15.

But an important question now arises.
The
Scriptures show us that man's hope centers in
the fact that a ransom-price was given for our
sins; but what is the basis of hope for these
fallen angels?
On what ground can they have
a trial and a hope of everlasting life?
Did our
Lord die for them?

We are not so informed: The ransom-sacrifice
was human, a ransom for men.
"Verily,"
says Paul, "he took not on him the nature of
angels," etc. (Heb. 2:16.)
Furthermore, they
were not under condemnation to death, and
hence have never lost their life in any measure,
and need no ransom from death.
It was because
the sentence of death had passed upon men that
a ransom was necessary in order that we might
regain life.
Those angels which kept not their
first estate were condemned, not to death, but to restraint and confinement, until a day oftrial, when God will judge both men and angels
in righteousness by that man whom he hath
ordained. (Acts 17:31.)
They are therefore
undergoing their penalty as truly as man is suffering
his, though the penalties be very different
in kind,"according to the much diversified
wisdom of God."

And yet they had a great interest in our
Lord's sacrifice; for though they were not being
redeemed, bought by the precious blood, as
was man, and did not need to be, not being
under condemnation to death, yet their hope
centered in the power which he should gain
through his exaltation to the divine nature, in
consequence of his obedience even unto death,
to judge and restore them in due time.

Again, if we have a correct view of the matter,
that these angels had been tempted and seduced
by evil men, which had become very
great (Gen. 6:5), we may see how the reconciliation
accomplished by the blood of the cross
for man could apply to and cancel both direct
and indirect guilt, if it resulted from the one
man's disobedience and was not consented
to by the will of the sinner.
So that now we
are assured in the words of the Apostle, "It
pleased the Father,...having made peace
[propitiationsatisfaction] through the blood
of his cross, by him to reconcile unto himself
all things [out of harmony];...whether things in earth, or things in heaven."Col. 1:20.

GOD'S COMPREHENSIVE LAW.



God's wisdom, love and justice decide on
what is best, and that decision is his will or
law.
But, strictly speaking, only so much of
God's will as he expresses to his creatures islaw to them. Hence, while his laws never conflict,
they may be more or less fully expressed
on one occasion than on another.

All of God's intelligent creatures are under
instruction, being taught those laws which his
infinite love, wisdom and justice have enacted
for the well-being of all.
Though created perfect,
each in his plane of being, yet they all lack
that scope of knowledge and wisdom which belongs
in full measure to the divine nature only.
They all lack experience; hence, in giving them
instruction in the wisdom and propriety of his
laws, it has pleased Jehovah to make an illustration
which would manifest and practically exemplify
his own character and prove to his creatures
the wisdom and righteousness of his laws.

It is evident that the spirit of his law is not
to take advantage of some transgressive slip, occasioned
by lack of experience on the part of
his creatures, but that he intends it to apply to
the thoughts and intents of the hearts.
That
this is the real intent of God, we shall see illustrated
by his dealings with those who have from
lack of knowledge become sinners.

His law in full, as we now see it in the light
of his Word, is, "Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God, with all thy heart, mind, soul and
strength," and "thy neighbor as thyself;" and
the penalty attached to the slightest deviation
from that law is, "The soul that sinneth, it
shall die;"that no being shall be permitted to
live, who, when fully informed of God's righteous
will, and enabled to obey it, shall not conform
thereto; that all such be cut off from life.
But this is as it may be seen now. Once it was
not so clearly expressed, nor so clearly seen.

To fully exemplify this law, God caused man
to be used as an illustration before this extreme
penalty was placed upon the angels.
So man
was placed under the extreme penalty of his
lawdeath; God knew that through inexperience
man would violate that law and come under
its penalty; but he purposed to make an illustration to all his creatures of the exceeding
sinfulness of sin and its sure consequences,
while at the same time his love and wisdom so
marked out the plan, that mankind, the illustration,
might not suffer loss, but be blessed
by the lesson as learned.

Let us briefly view the exhibition of God's
character as displayed in his dealing toward
mankind whom he made a spectacle to angels.
(1 Cor. 4:9.)
In so doing, let us guard against
the common error which judges of God's actions
exactly as of our own.
Let us remember
that justice, love, wisdom and power, as commonly
displayed by the fallen race, in dealing
with each other, and by human parents with
their children, are far from perfect.
In our
first parents those qualities were perfect: they
were in the image of Jehovah; but in our experience,
in consequence of the fall, these qualities
are constantly at war with each other.
Sometimes love has a victory over justice, and
sometimes justice has a victory over love.

But with Jehovah there can be no conflict;
and neither ever gains a victory or ascendancy
over the other.
Both are perfect, and work
only in perfect harmony.

Before man was created, the Justice, Wisdom,
Love and Power of God held conference on the
subject, and devised the plan which has since
then been developing.
The plan was suggested
by Wisdom and concurred in by the other
attributes; the arrangement and execution of
it being left in Wisdom's hands.

Wisdom designed to have the largest returns
from the experience of man, and the most valuable
illustration of God's character to all his
creatures, on every plane of being.
Accordingly
Wisdom said, Let the man come under the
control of Justice, Love and Power, separately, that the force and operation of each may be the
more forcibly illustrated.
Let Justice first have
complete control, let men be dealt with by the
strict law, "Thou shalt not".
"In the
day that thou dost...dying thou shalt die."
And it was so.

Man, inexperienced and unused to self-control
and liberty, violated the law, and experienced
the full weight of Justice, as Wisdom had
foreseen and prepared for.

The lesson under Justice has been long and
severe, but the lesson must be thorough, so that [R1681 : page 237] it shall never need repeating.
Men and angels
must learn that Justice is relentless, irrevocable
and unalterable.
Then, too, before it could be
realized that the remedy for man lay only in
Jehovah and nowhere else, an opportunity was
offered for the trial of other methods for man's
recovery.
First, the angels were given rulership
(during the age before the flood), and
made a miserable failure; for, while man became
more and more corrupt himself, his evil influence
led to the fall of some of those who attempted
his assistance"those angels which
kept not their first estate."

With the deluge that order of affairs passed
away.
Then, under the Law Covenant, given
to one selected nation, another and different
opportunity was presented, to prove to man that
even if God should cancel all enmity, or resentment,
and receive the world into covenant relations,
they would require a Restorer, so that
they could continue in harmony with God, even
after being forgiven.
Hence sacrifices and
offerings for sin were instituted, and God treated
that nation as though original sin and guilt
had been removed, and then placed them under
laws to prove to them, to us and to all, their inability
(as degenerate creatures) to keep his law without
a restitution to perfectionto his likeness.

Meanwhile Love stood ready to manifest itself
at the moment Wisdom should give the
word.
Love would have done so at once, but
for two reasons: First, it could not oppose or
interfere with the action of Justice in condemning
man and delivering him over for the execution
of the prescribed penalty.
Second: though
Love might have acknowledged Justice and approved
its action by promptly providing a ransom
(an equivalent price), Wisdom objected
and did not permit this course at that time, because
it saw best to make the lesson complete
and thorough.

Hence for over four thousand years Love was
not permitted to manifest itself, and might only
speak in shadowy sacrifices and ceremonies,
and more or less obscure promises.
But, finally,
when the right time had come, "in due time,"
"in the fulness of time," Wisdom gave the
word, and Love began to manifest itself for
man's relief.
The first act was to produce a
perfect and sinless man to be a suitable "ransom
for all:" one not under the Adamic cursewho would lay down his life for the race, and
whose sacrifice would meet all the requirements
of Justice, and therefore be acceptable as a
ransom and propitiation for man's sins.
And
Love's great exhibition was seen in the gift of
the grandest and greatest and first of all God's [R1681 : page 238] creation, who stooped and became man, to redeem
men: and "they called his name Jesus."

"Ah!" says one who judges by his own feelings,
"Now comes Love's victory over Justice.
We
shall see that God is more loving than severe."

But not so; God is not more loving than
severely just: he is perfect in both respects.
It will be indeed a victory for Love, but not
over Justice.
It will be much grander than that.
It will prove a victory for both Justice and
Love; for it will be gained by Love's payingthe price demanded by Justicea ransom, "an
equivalent price." (1 Tim. 2:4-6.)
The love
of God, so long veiled from sight, was manifested
in the gift of his Son to be our Redeemer
and Savior.
The record is: "Herein is love,
not that we loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son to be the propitiation [satisfaction
or appeasement] for our sins." "In thiswas manifested the love of God toward us, because
that God sent his only begotten Son into
the world, that we might live through him."

When Love had ransomed man, and was
ready to reveal itself by restoring the willing
and obedient of mankind to perfection and
harmony with God, Wisdom postponed this on
the ground that a further development of the
plan would ultimately enhance Love's glory,
and perfect the work: that an interlude (the
Gospel age) must occur in which should be selected
some from among the redeemed, some
sharers in Christ's sufferings and reproach, who
should be counted worthy to share his glory
and to be his associates in the execution of
Love's triumph in "the restitution of all things
spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets."

Long and faithfully has Love labored; but
all her labor will yet be lost, unless in due time
Wisdom shall commission Power to do its special
part in the great plan.

Power thus far has stood in the background,
doing nothing directly in man's relief, save in
the resurrection of our Lord, and in the miracles
which shadowed forth its coming work.

Now, we are living in the day when Power
begins to act, not in opposition to Justice, but
in harmony with Wisdom, Justice and Love.
Oh, blessed day!
The Lamb that was slain and
who redeemed us by his blood is now invested
with Power to bless all whom he bought; and
he is now about taking unto himself his great
power, and shall reign until he has subdued all enemies.Rev. 20:6; 1 Cor. 15:25.

God has chosen the plan which most fully
and grandly exemplifies his unalterable justice,
and exhibits the exceeding riches of his gracehis love; and in the restoration of man ("all
who come to the Father by him") from destruction,
from death, to perfection and life,
will God's power be illustrated far more forcibly
than even in man's creation.
And as men
and angels come to recognize the full fruition
of God's plan in the ages to come, will they
not with one consent exclaim with our brother
and Apostle Paul, as he caught a glimpse of it:
"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom
and knowledge of God! how unsearchable
are his judgments, and his ways past finding
out!
For who hath known the mind [plan] of
the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
...Because out of him, and through him,
and for him are all things.
To him be the glory for ever."Rom. 11:33-36.

"The much diversified wisdom of God"
(Eph. 3:10Diaglott) pursued one course with
reference to the angels, not delivering the latter
over to justice under the extreme penalty of the
law, but pronouncing a lesser penalty until they
should learn of evil and its consequences from
the "spectacle" furnished them in mankind.

But the result of Wisdom's course in either
case is the same.
The angels being perfect,
and having had an example of the extreme penalty
of the law, will be able to conform to God's
law when again offered the opportunity, and
doubtless many of them will be glad to do so.
Man, who experienced the extreme penalty of
the law, will also be able to appreciate forever
good and evil, and, if he will, to choose that
which is good, while both, in the event of
non-conformity to God's will and a persistence
in an evil course, will then be liable to
the extreme penaltythe Second Death.
Those
counted worthy of everlasting life will then, as
God does, love righteousness because it is good,
and hate unrighteousness because it is evil.

Though the experience of angels might at
first appear less severe than man's, yet when it
is remembered that man's dying experience was
limited to an average of three-score years and
ten, while the angels who sinned experienced
over four thousand years of living restraint under
Satan's rule, it will generally be conceded that
their experience was not less severe than man's.

In view of the great work to be accomplished,
how necessary is the elevation of the Christ
(Head and body) to the divine nature, since
his mission is to govern, direct and bring to
perfection "whosoever will," both of spiritual
and human beings.
And does not the selection
of this class, made different from both angels
and menof the divine natureillustrate yet
further the much diversified wisdom of God,
whereby he is able to work all things according
to the counsel of his own will?
Verily it does!